Precalculus (6th Edition) Blitzer

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-13446-914-3
ISBN 13: 978-0-13446-914-0

Chapter 10 - Section 10.5 - The Binomial Theorum - Exercise Set - Page 1093: 80

Answer

False. There are no nonzero values of $a$ and $b$ such that$$(a+b)^4=a^4+b^4.$$

Work Step by Step

Please note that if at least one of $a$ or $b$ is zero, say $b=0$, then the identity holds true: $$(a+0)^4=a^4=a^4+0^4.$$ However, for nonzero values of $a$ and $b$, the identity does not hold because the binomial expansion of $(a+b)^4$ has the terms $a^{4-r}b^r$, $r=1, 2, 3$, which are nonzero.
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